Taping Up a Broken Heart
by acid wings
Summary: Alexa Marie Copeland had wrestling in her blood from when she was an infant, having all but lived backstage from the moment her brother, Adam "Edge" Copeland, debuted in the WWE. She had been trained by legends. But how will the woman with trust issues deal with the ringleader of 'The Shield' and being involved in a plot far greater than she could comprehend? OC/Dean Ambrose
1. Interaction

**A/N: Well, here we go! I hope you all enjoy this, it's been on my mind for a while now. c:**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters in this fic. **

* * *

**Prologue: Hopes and Determination**

_**"The next words she spoke tumbled out of her mouth without her first processing them. 'Oh? So if I asked you for a kiss I'd get it?'"**_

* * *

With a huff, Alexa set her handbag down onto the bed of the hotel room. It was a windy day in Phoenix, but nonetheless it wasn't cold. Being born in Canada would do that to you, she supposed. Walking over to where she assumed the bathroom was, she pulled the door open and quickly washed her face, enjoying the warm water against her skin. Chocolate-brown wisps of hair fell out of her messy bun, framing her face with individual strands. Wiping her face dry, she went back into the hotel room and stood in the middle of the room, contemplating what she should do.

They, the WWE roster, had just arrived in town, meaning they all had a couple days to themselves before they would have to do Raw and start filming for the next Smackdown. Alexa had eaten on the way here, so that ruled out the idea of grabbing a bite to eat. And truth be told, she wasn't exactly close with many people on the roster at the moment; there was only Uncle Rob, better known as Rob Van Dam, who she was close to. Maybe because he was one of the father-figures in her life growing up. In the 17 years she had been involved with the business, he had been one of those who had trained her as a kid. The others she was somewhat friends with would have others to talk to, others to train with. Jay, otherwise known by the fans as Christian, was back home with a concussion. He was her brother's best friend and in turn a brotherly-figure to her. She mentally reminded herself to call him and check up on his medical status later that day. With a sigh, she picked up her phone and decided to call the old high-flyer and propose a trip to the local gym.

Before she could dial the number, though, there was an impatient knock at the door. With a frown, she tossed the phone onto the bed and walked towards the door, eyes narrowing as the knocking became even more impatient, soon a consistent banging. With a few choice words under her breath, she threw the door open and side-stepped the closed fist that came down.

Peaking outside, she was shocked to see who was standing on the other side. Jonathan Good, Colby Lopez, and Joe Anoa'i, better known as Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns. While the latter two wore guilty, apologetic looks on their faces, Jon's face simply displayed his irritation. The four of them had never spoken before in their lives, their closest encounter being when she had been milling around backstage to check up on Mark Calaway, The Undertaker, when they had attacked him after his match with Jon last year. She raised an eyebrow at the trio, gesturing for them to say whatever the hell caused them to bang on her door for no apparent reason.

"What are you doing in our room?" Jon asked, crossing her arms. His eyes travelled down her form, taking in the tank top that stuck to her like a second skin, before falling onto the teasingly short shorts. She had a scarf around her neck, hair up in a messy bun, and face void of any makeup. She had seemed to toss off her footwear, since she was standing there with bare feet. Ever since he'd first laid eyes on her about a year and a half back, he'd been curious, but never curious enough to make anything of it. Maybe because she never hung around backstage for too long, or maybe because he preferred fucking chicks who he didn't work with; having to see her after throwing her out of his bed would've been awkward. A single eyebrow rose as she glared at the three of them, her cerulean irises igniting with her obvious anger. He licked his lips.

"This is my room," she shot back, throwing her weight onto one leg and setting a hand on her hip. He suddenly felt less confident in simply opting to bang on the door until she came out and then proceed to question her, wondering if they really had gotten the room number wrong. "Are you _sure_ this is the room number the desk attendant gave you?"

"Jon," Colby's voice cut through his thoughts, warning clear in his tone. The younger man knew about his temper; the last thing they needed was him erupting at the poor girl. From what he was told backstage, she was a sweet, cheerful person to those she liked, but didn't really interact with many people. As a result, there was also not a lot of rumours involving her; the only stories that worked their way around the rooster were those based off the infamous break-up she had with whoever she'd been dating beforehand. "We keep telling you, man, the slip said 245."

"And this is 244," Alexa replied, sending Jon a victorious smirk. He narrowed his eyes in response, seeing the challenge in her eyes. Ignoring the subtle change in the atmosphere, she crossed her arms and leaned against the door frame, a teasing smile on her lips as she giggled at their misfortune, startling Jon. He had thought she was going to start bitching at them. Instead, she was eyeing them with mirth in her eyes. Her pretty, entrancing eyes..."Smooth, you three."

Colby cracked a sheepish grin, and even Joe offered her a smile, but Jon simply stood there, entrance by the sound of her laugh. It was so...melodic; he'd never heard something like that before. Almost immediately, he berated himself mentally; what the hell was wrong with him? Just a minute ago he was fuming that there had been someone else in their supposed room.

"Well-" Alexa started up again, but the ringing of her phone interrupted her conversation. Excusing herself, she grabbed the phone and clicked the 'accept' button with a huge smile, already knowing who was calling. "Addy!"

Her brother laughed at the sheer joy in her tone, the sound warming her insides. He missed travelling with his sister, seeing her everyday. His back injury had ended his career earlier, but nonetheless he was proud of his baby sis carrying on their dream. Didn't mean he didn't worry about her all the time, though; he, from personal experience, knew how dangerous their chosen career could be. "Hey, Lexie. You in Phoenix yet?"

Waving for the three at the door to come inside so they didn't have to stand any longer, she closed the door behind them and motioned for them to take a seat on the couch. Jon trailed in after his two friends like a lost puppy, a fact he hated. What the hell was going on with him? "Yup! We came a few hours ago, I just finished getting settled at the hotel. I was going to go train with uncle Rob."

He listened to her talk to whoever was on the phone with her, a heart-warming smile on her face. Colby and Joe shared a look as Jon sat there and stared at the famous Diva as she talked on the phone, unknowing of the eyes on her. Usually, when out at bars and clubs, the look they'd see in his eyes when analyzing a woman would be lust and hunger, but right now it was amazement. And dare Colby think it...longing? He knew when they had first been brought up to the main rooster, Jon had wanted to pursue the woman and bed her for what seemed to be bragging rights, but he fell through with that plan. About a year and a half had passed since then; was the determination renewed?

Adam sighed from the other side of the call, running a hand through his hair and a wanton smile on his face. His baby girl was doing okay, then; his brotherly worry was gone. "Alright, kiddo. You stay safe now for me and mom, okay? Love you."

Her ear-splitting grin faded into a soft smile of contentment, having heard her brother's voice. They had always been inseparably close to each other, from when they were kids to when he made it to the main rooster years ago. The same voice that lulled her to sleep whenever she had cried for someone, whenever someone had been severely hurt. Or worse, gone. "Okay, Addy, love you too. I'll call you back soon, alright?"

"Alright, Lex. Bye!"

They hung up, Alexa tossing the phone back onto the bed. Sheepishly, she returned her attention to the three men sitting on her sofa, settling down in the love seat. "Uh, sorry about that. My brother usually calls every few days just to check up on me," she explained, scratching her head. "But now with Jay on bed rest for a bit, he's been calling everyday. Not that it annoys me, but usually it's at random times. Now, where were we?"

Colby and Joe nodded in understanding, throwing the woman smiles. Colby spoke up. "Oh, Jon was just apologizing for nearly breaking down your door. Right Jon?"

Jon, who had been watching Alexa rather than listening to what was going on, snapped out of it when he heard his name. "Huh?"

"You were going to apologize, right?" Colby shot him a nasty smirk, almost as if he knew something Jon didn't. He glared at his friend for putting him in the awkward position, before turning back to the brunette, who was trying hard not to laugh. She failed, and a few giggles spilled out of her mouth. He lowered his gaze to the floor, scratching the back of his head. Colby knew he hated apologizing, the bastard! "Sorry for nearly breaking down your door."

She laughed, offering Jon a reassuring tilt of her lips. She found the action totally adorable, and he had been forgiven at the door if she was being honest. Something about the man with tousled, dirty-blond hair had her heart racing with things she hadn't felt in a long, long time, and had her freezing in shock. For a moment, she discreetly analyzed him. Deep-blue eyes, chiselled muscles that were clearly visible underneath his white wife-beater, and a 5 o'clock shadow. Nothing but the amount of muscle matched anything to do with her ex. She suddenly started feeling hopeful; was she moving on...? "It's fine."

Colby watched the two with curious eyes, him and Joe exchanging incredulous looks again, before his look transitioned into a look of mischief. Joe let out a quiet groan; he knew that look all too well. Colby had just been hit with a 'great' idea.

Jon watched Alexa cross her legs over one another, licking his lips at the large amount of exposed skin. He knew that if she kept egging him on the way she was, albeit unknowingly, he'd end up doing something he couldn't take back. And for once, the thought scared him.

Joe cleared this throat, breaking the silence. "Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but the three of us have the gym scheduled. We should get going."

Alexa nodded in understanding, and the four of them got back onto their feet, shuffling over to the door. She opened the door and let them out, biding them goodbye, but Jon stopped. He motioned for the other two to keep walking, and turned back to Alexa. She blinked up at him in confusion. He faltered, thinking over what he should say; he really did feel bad about blowing up at her the way he had at first.

"Look," he mumbled, subconsciously moving closer to her. "I really am sorry about the door thing."

She offered him an understanding smile and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry about it Jon."

"Guess I owe you a favour in return, huh?"

The next words she spoke tumbled out of her mouth without her first processing them. "Oh? So if I asked you for a kiss I'd get it?"

Both of them went silent after her challenge was spoken. Her mind was racing; what the heck did she say that for?! Nervously, she glanced up at Jon and found his eyes swirling with...lust? Desire?

With a smirk, he fingered one of the chocolate locks, watching her cheeks light up with a rosy blush. He really liked the colour against her skin, and he really, _really_ liked the fact that he was the one who caused it. Wrapping an arm around her waist to keep her from backing up, he lowered his head to her ear, dropping his voice several octaves and growling "oh honey, you don't know what you're asking for. But to answer your question, yes, you'd get it."

Dipping his head low, he placed a heated kiss against her pulse point and suckled roughly for a moment, revelling in the sweet moan of surprise she let out. Pulling away before his need grew too big for him to control, he smirked at the dark red mark and then at her before disappearing down the hall that Colby and Joe had left down moments ago.

Quickly, Alexa shut the door with shaking fingers and flung herself against the door, breathing heavily with her eyes closed. The hell was that?!

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**A/N: Really sorry about the length, but it's simply the prologue and the other chapters will be longer! Well, thoughts? Predictions? Whatcha think of Jon and Alexa so far? Just to point out (in case you don't know, but I'm gonna guess you do); Adam (or Addy, as Alexa fondly calls him) is Adam Copeland, Edge's real name! **

**Up Next!: Alexa heads out to train with uncle Rob, and the plot begins to form when disaster strikes in the form of a few serious injuries! Stay tuuunnneeeeddd~!**


	2. Beginning

**A/N: Aw thanks for the reviews guys! Hope this one is just as good as the last, then :) I'm gonna warn you right now; with this fic, you're gonna get a BUNCH of family feels. You have been warned, fandom!**

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**Chapter 1: Beginnings**

_**"I plan on it."**_

* * *

Alexa slid down onto the floor, her back pressed against the door and her breathing shallow. The heated moment between her and Jon played through her head repeatedly like a broken record. With shaking fingers, she touched her neck and felt the break in her skin. He left his mark on her, then. She hated being thought of as a possession (in truth, she was a total feminist deep down). So why did she not regret what had transpired between them?

A knock at the door had her jumping to her feet hastily, brushing off any dust that might have clung to her shorts. "Lexie? Wanna go to the gym?" Uncle Rob's voice came through the door, muffled by the heavy wood. He must have had the same idea that she had been struck with earlier, then. Clearing her throat, she responded. "U-Uh, yeah, sure! Lemme just grab my bag..."

Quickly, she went over to her bed and grabbed the gym bag she always had on hand, and went back to the door. She forced her frantic heartbeat to calm down, in hopes of Rob not catching onto anything. Throwing the door open, she shot him a mega-watt smile and gave him a quick hug, giggling when he returned the gesture with a laugh. She felt him drop a kiss to the top of her head.

"Ready to go?" He asked her, pulling away. With a nod, they started down the corridor, easily falling into a conversation. Everything was fine and dandy until they entered the empty elevator and Rob turned to her after pressing the button for the floor with the gym on it, and finally got a good look...at her neck. His eyes widened at the angry mark, poorly concealed by the girl's scarf.

"Alexa Marie Copeland!" His voice boomed, startling her. A flicker of over-protectiveness echoed through him as he stared at her sternly, his blood boiling. No matter what she told them, him, he knew she was still deeply wounded by what had happened a few years back. Alexa blinked nervously, immediately noticing the displeased look on his face and offered Rob a shaky smile. He took in the flustered look in her eyes, and wondered why he hadn't noticed her jitters earlier. "Is that a _hickey _on your neck?!"

"Uh...well you see...I um...there was this huge elephant-"

"Don't lie, hun, you suck at it."

She glared at him, pouting and crossing her arms as he cut her off mid-sentence without even giving her a chance to make up some stupid lie. He raised an eyebrow at her, a challenging smile on his face. She sighed, defeated, and lowered her head in shame. Hey, she hid it as long as she did, didn't she? It was a record! Granted that Rob had always given her a bit more freedom than the others. "I might have egged on Jon and he might have given me the hickey because of said egging on."

"Jon, as in...?"

"Dean Ambrose, n-oh, look! Our floor is here! Let's go, uncle Rob!" She raced out of the elevator before he could protest, running down the hallway in the direction of the faint pop music.

Sighing, he stepped out of the elevator with her. ___Damn, I'm getting too old for this._

* * *

Jon grunted as he lifted the barbell, Colby standing a little away taking a break whilst spotting. Sweat coated his body in a fine sheet, his t-shirt damp and sticking to his body. Him and the other two that made up the infamous stable had the private section of the hotel's gym rented; it was a room off to the side of the main gym. One of the walls was made of glass, making it so they could see the occupants of the gym over.

"So," Colby grinned at him widely, bouncing on the balls of his feet. Jon raised an eyebrow; the kid had way too much energy to be human. He voiced this thought, and Colby simply brushed it aside with a absentminded wave of his hand and continued. "Wanna tell me and Joe why you were like five minutes late? You were right behind us...right?"

Immediately, Jon knew that Colby knew. His train of thought faltered for a moment, and he stalled by taking his sweet time placing the barbell back onto the floor. "Eh, well, she egged me on and things happened...so-"

Colby frowned. "You had sex with her in _five _minutes?"

"No!"

"Woah, hold the fuck up! You _didn't _have sex with a girl? Joe, get out the record books, it's a first-!"

"You idiot, I'm going to fucking-"

"Damn, she must be special, Jon!"

Jon sighed in frustration, knowing Colby was just trying to get under his skin. Scooping his water bottle off the ground, he chucked it at his friend's head, rolling his eyes when Colby ducked out of the way and started laughing. Joe laughed along quietly, a thunderous bass, from where he sat in the corner, doing reps of push-ups and sit-ups.

Suddenly, Colby stopped laughing. "Hey, isn't that Alexa?"

Jon's head turned so fast he almost cricked his neck; indeed, she had just ran into the main gym, a smile on her face. Behind her trailed Rob Van Dam, seemingly out of breath. The three of them watched as she tossed her bag down and walked over to the barbells, talking animatedly to her companion the whole way. They, Rob and Alexa, were the only two occupants of the room they were in.

"You gonna go over, lover boy?" Colby snickered, yelping as Jon's fist came flying at him out of nowhere.

Joe got off the floor and smirked over at his friends. ___Though Colby's an idiot, he's got a point...Jon's never acted like this before. Maybe Alexa is the one who can fix him._

* * *

With a huff, Alexa finished her push-ups, getting up onto her feet. Her leg felt great, something she was proud and grateful for. It was a story that she wasn't willing to tell many people, though; the WWE universe nor the superstars and divas knew about it. Only those close to her knew what a disaster SummerSlam was for her.

She was pulled out of her thoughts by the sound of a door opening. Head snapping to the side as she gulped down some much needed water, she almost spewed it all out as Joe, Colby and Jon walked out, all three of them shirtless. It took all her willpower to pull her wandering eyes off of Jon's sweaty form and back towards uncle Rob, who was watching the trio with an almost wary look in his eyes.

Jon had thrown off his ruined shirt because the wet cloth against his skin had been irritating him, but he sure as hell was glad he did now. He didn't miss Alexa's wandering eyes and took the chance to let his own eyes travel down her form, skin damp with perspiration. A hunger began growing in his stomach and he only turned away when he heard someone clearing their throat.

Almost sheepishly, he glanced over at Rob Van Dam and found the man glaring at him, arms crossed. Alarm bells went off in his head; had he just been caught checking her out?

"Ah, the infamous Shield boys," it was only because Alexa had known Rob for so long that she had detected the subtle sarcasm in his voice. Wincing slightly, she wondered how much damage control she could manage this time around, since he sounded so serious. _Damn it, Jon, you just had to leave a hickey, didn't you?!_

Much to her surprise, Jon stepped forward, sticking out a hand for Rob to shake. _Oh look, he has manners. _"Nice to finally meet you, sir."

Rob looked down at said appendage with a look of surprise on his face, eyebrows scrunching up for a moment before he made up his mind. Plastering a fake smile on his face, he shook the young man's hand. "Well, well, Mr. Ambrose. Been wanting to step into the ring for a mock match with you for a while now." His eyes glittered dangerously as he smirked down at Jon, enjoying the look of confusion.

Jon had a slight feeling that Rob had seen the hickey, taking into consideration the exasperated look on Alexa's face. So the man wanted to see how much he was worth? Fine. He shot back Rob's smirk, snapping his wrist with a firm shake. "Well, then, how about we step in the ring right now and give you your wish?"

_Men and their fucking pride! _Alexa was up to her head with it. She refrained from throwing her hands up into the air, and glanced at Colby when he let out a soft chuckle at her dismay. Before she could say anything, though, Rob came over and ruffled her hair with a grin. "Coming to watch, princess?" He asked, already knowing the answer. She glared at him, a silent argument ensuing, before she huffed and nodded. Laughing, Rob threw an arm around her shoulders and together, with the trio of men lagging behind them, left the room and walked down the hallway in the direction of the training rings.

"Good luck," Colby murmured over to Jon, making sure the duo in front of them didn't hear him. Jon simply raised an eyebrow at him, prompting him to continue. "Y'know the man's gonna dismantle you for whatever the heck you did right? Wait, what the hell _did _you do to her?"

"Hickey," Jon mumbled. "C'mon man, you don't think he'll actually ki-"

Joe let out a short bark of laughter, the noise a few octave lower then usual because he, too, was trying to be quiet. "Jon, pal, if some guy gave my daughter a hickey within the first _hour _of knowing each other I'd put him six feet under."

There was a sinking feeling in Jon's stomach as the truth of the situation settled in. Before he could reply to either of his friends, though, they had arrived in the room with the rings. Thankfully, the room was empty, meaning Jon's possible humiliation would only be in front of his friends and Alexa. Without a word, Rob jumped into the nearest ring and threw Alexa his bag, who caught it with an unreadable look on her face. Jon moved towards her, dropping his bag beside her and gazing at her with smouldering eyes.

Then she did something that surprised all of them: she kissed him on the cheek. "Good luck," she offered with a tentative smile. He blinked at her a few times, somewhat dazed, before he collected himself and nodding at her, a genuine smile on his lips. Gripping the ropes with his hands, he hoisted himself up onto the apron and ducked under the ropes, stepping onto the canvas and bouncing on the balls of his feet.

Alexa bit her lip, moving over to where Colby and Joe stood whilst the duo in the ring started their match. Rob threw a mock punch to his left before whirling to the right, punching Jon hard in the jaw and sending the younger wrestler staggering. "Now, Jon," Rob began, his voice low as he kept throwing punches. Gritting his teeth, Jon blocked a few, falling back on the defensive. The ones that met their mark, however, hurt like a fucking bitch. "You seem smart enough. I think you've figured out what this is about, yes?"

Ducking under the high-flyer's outstretched fist, Jon sent a punch into his stomach before kicking his left leg, the sequence causing the man to double over and fall back for a moment. Abusing the opening, Jon started up a flurry of punches and kicks, not giving Rob a chance to catch his breath until he backed him up into the turnbuckle. He eyed the trio standing down below before staring at Rob. "Yeah," he began, his accent heavy. He glanced at Rob. "You're pissed off about the fact I touched Alexa and, er, left a hickey."

Launching his leg up, Rob had Jon kneeling and pounced, sending both his feet slamming into the side of the man's head. With a grunt of legitimate pain, Jon fell back, seeing stars whilst Rob got up onto the ropes and jumped, sending his elbow into his windpipe. As he rolled over, Rob responded. "Damn right I am. Today was the first time you two talked, yes?"

Jon crawled into the corner, panting, and struggled onto his feet. He opted to only sending a nod in the other man's way, using the ropes to support his weight while getting up. Rob, refusing to give him a moment, drove his shoulder into Jon's stomach, sending the latter into a coughing fit. Almost conversationally, the man continued. "And you decided to leave a hickey today, because...?"

"Spur of the moment," Jon bit out, his inner strategist trying to figure a way to get out of the situation. He punched Rob in the face, sending the man reeling.

"I don't have anything against you, young man, but...she's had it rough in the past," Rob murmured, eyes darting over to said girl for a moment before returning to Jon's face. "And if you hurt her," he continued as he punched Jon in the ribs. "I won't be the first or last person to come after you. What are your intentions with her, Ambrose?"

Dropping onto one knee, he sent a punch into Rob's stomach before rising, gripping his shoulder and sending him onto the mat. Landing on top of him, he continued the barrage of punches, muttering his answer during it. "In the past, all I've wanted from women were good fucks, then I kicked them out of my bed and never spoke to them again. But with Alexa...I don't fucking know, it's different! I want more with her than I've wanted with anyone else in my past."

With a smirk, Rob shoved him off of him and climbed to his feet, dusting off his clothes. "Well, looks like she wants you just as much as you want her, so you have my blessing. Good luck, boy."

With that, he rolled out of the ring and grabbed his bag from Alexa, dropping a kiss to her temple. She blinked up at him, having not heard a single word from their conversation. She glanced over at Jon, who stood in the middle of the ring with an oddly prideful look on his face. "Uncle Rob? What-"

"Nothing, baby girl. C'mon, let's go grab a bite to eat before tonight's show, yeah?"

___Men!_

* * *

Later that night, superstars and divas alike poured into the stadium for that week's edition of Raw. Alexa walked in with Rob, the duo talking about the latest movie trailers, when they were stopped by Paul and Stephanie. With a grin, Alexa flung herself into their arms, causing the three adults to laugh.

"Hey hun," Stephanie Mcmahon smiled down at the younger woman, an arm still wrapped around her waist. She dropped a tender kiss to the crown of Alexa's head. "We need you in the office, because we have some information for you on your future storylines starting during tonight's show. Come with us?"

She nodded, turning to Rob to bid him goodbye. With a nod in Paul's direction, Rob was off; he had a match to prepare himself for, after all. Alexa fell into line with the two corporate leaders, an easy conversation striking up between the three of them. Much like Rob, Alexa had grown up around both Paul and Stephanie, who were very much so her parents in every sense of the responsibility. Likewise, the duo considered the bubbly brunette their own, and always had.

Stepping into the office, Paul closed the door behind them. Alexa was mildly surprised to see Colby, Joe and Jon sitting in the room already. Upon seeing their bosses walk into the room with the diva, however, they rose to their feet. Stephanie waved her hand around, signalling from them to sit. Alexa plopped herself down into the only seat left in the room, the one beside Jon and the wall.

"Sorry for the wait you three, we had to wait for Alexa," Stephanie apologized, chuckling when Alexa threw a pen off the table at her with mock offence. "As you already know, you three will be breaking up soon, and will lead independent careers. We have some script work done for the promos that foreshadow this, so Colby and Joe could go pick them up right now from the creative department. Jon, stay behind please; we have some more information on your storyline that runs parallel with the breakup."

Sharing a look before nodding their heads, Colby and Joe got out of their seats and left the room, leaving Jon and Alexa with the power couple. Paul almost looked dismayed as Stephanie took a deep breath, placing her chin atop her folded fingers. "Alright, you two. Jon, as you already know, we plan on having you turn face after the breakup with the other two."

Jon nodded in confirmation.

"However," Stephanie continued. "There has been nothing, up to this point, that would prove you to be a face character. With a few pushes, though, we figured out how it'll work out. If the idea doesn't have enough chemistry, it can and will be scrapped, but I feel like it'll work in our favour and be a legitimate excuse for your change in behaviour."

Paul snorted and seemingly pouted, crossing his arms and slumping over in his seat. "Not like my opinion really mattered," he mumbled.

He shut up when Stephanie glared at him, the promise of sleeping on the couch that night in her eyes.

"And that would be?" Jon prompted, raising an eyebrow and waiting for the news.

"You and Alexa will start an on-screen relationship."

Alexa had to stop her jaw from dropping. She gazed back and forth at Steph and Paul, wondering if she heard right. Beside her, Jon was in a similar predicament. Stephanie, despite seeing the blatant surprise on both their faces and the disapproval marring her husband's facial features, continued with a pleasant smile. "The foreshadowing will start tonight, when Jon will stop Alexa from falling onto the floor. For this she'd have to be pushed off the apron while Jon is standing on the floor, so work it out that way."

Paul suddenly stood up, slamming his palms down onto the table and making Alexa jump and Jon look his way almost warily. "And listen closely, Good; ya hurt Alexa and I'll have your ass on a silver platter promptly after settin' fire to your fucking career, got it? Let me make myself fucking clear: _you will be fucked._"

_Guess Rob wasn't kidding. _Jon nodded, a somewhat irritated scowl making its way onto his face. "I don't want to hurt her, Paul."

Paul simply nodded once before tilting his head towards the door, indicating Jon could leave. With one last look at the brunette beauty beside him, he got out of his seat and left, heading towards The Shield's locker room. He needed a drink, but sure as hell wasn't getting it until after.

He was more troubled about the part of him that was ridiculously elated at the development.

Alexa fidgeted around her seat under the heated gaze of one of the men who watched her grow up, increasingly uncomfortable. "What?!" She finally snapped, glaring back at Paul. Stephanie resisted the urge to giggle at the childishness the duo were displaying.

"When were ya gonna explain the hickey to us, huh?" Paul demanded.

"I don't know, maybe when you actually asked about it?!"

"Well-"

"Oh Lord, you two," Stephanie burst out laughing. "Calm down, would you? Paul, hun, we have the other story-line we have to inform her of."

They both grumbled under their breath, and Alexa's infamous pout made its way onto her face. That irresistible pout that had so many people at her beck and call. Stephanie was pretty sure it would have Jon wrapped around her finger soon enough as well. Shaking her head with a slight smile, she leaned forward. "Alright, sweetheart, one more thing and then you can go get ready for your match. We're getting you involved with the main story-line."

Alexa's brows furrowed. "The...the one with Randy and Bryan?"

Stephanie nodded, concealing the mischievous grin on her face. "Yep. It's paving the way for a certain _someone _to make their return."

Alexa's eyes widened as she took in the possibilities. There were only a few men she knew that were in a condition to come back, and a certain name popped up in her head before any others. "Wait...what? No way! He's coming back?!"

An affirmative nod from Paul, who sat back down in his seat. "Yeah, you got it in one, kiddo; we're talking about a ministry of darkness repeat, just with a lot more depth and different faces. And another thing we'd like to mention is that Steve might get involved in the line, too."

She squealed happily, bouncing up and down in her seat. "Uncle Steve agreed to come back?"

"For at least one plot, yeah. But his contract is still in the works. That all being said and done, go get ready for tonight's match. We're starting off with the ceremony segment then cutting to the match right away."

With a nod, Alexa jumped to her feet before leaning over the table, arms open and waiting for her hugs with a silly grin on her face. No matter how much they argued, they were family. Chuckling, Paul wrapped his much larger arms around her petite form and pressed an affectionate kiss to the top of her head. "Stay safe, kiddo," he mumbled, letting her go. She nodded at him with a cheeky grin, waving goodbye at Steph, before slipping out of the room.

Paul sighed, feeling his age for once. "Man, I hope you and Rob know what the hell you're doing, Steph. I'd hate to see her hurt again."

"I know, honey. I know."

* * *

Alexa stumbled into her dressing room a few minutes later, finding her good friend and her make-up artist already waiting for her. "Hey, Claire!"

Said woman turned around, her blonde hair swishing around her shoulders. Emerald-green eyes glittered in her direction, narrowing playfully as she shook the straightener in the diva's direction. Claire had been working in the makeup department of the industry for ten years, and Alexa had grown up being babysat by her quite a bit. Despite being a veteran, Claire was only three years older then her.

"Missy, you're late!" Claire exclaimed, jutting a hip out and placing her hand on it. "Throw on your gear and then into the chair so I can fix up your hair, chop chop."

Laughing, Alexa grabbed her stuff and vanished behind the racks into her changing room, throwing her outdoor wear onto the sofa in the room and putting on the stuff she wore to the ring. Stepping out, she glanced at herself in the mirror, making sure nothing was out of place.

Unlike most of the women in their business, she preferred to cover up rather than strip it down. She wore a tank top made out of shimmering material, which ended right below her breasts at the front and fell to her knees in the back. The tank top was baggy in a fashionable way, the material flaring out and around her form whenever she walked. However, because of this, she had to wear a bandeau over her bra so nothing showed. The black lace added the right amount of 'sexy' to the outfit, as Claire liked to put it. Paired with the outfit was a pair of black, skintight short shorts, ending a couple inches below her butt. She didn't really mind the length, taken into consideration her black, leather boots came up to her knees and she had a matching, gold pair of thigh-high stockings. Satisfied, she seated herself in front of the mirror and let Claire do her work. She knew the woman was good at what she did, but Alexa preferred minimal makeup. Claire moved quickly, dusting golden, glittery eye-shadow across her eyelids and doing her mascara, before glossing her lips with a soft pink lipstick. Leaving it at that because Alexa had a gorgeous, natural blush, she plugged the straightener in and quickly went through the girl's brunette tresses, before taking out the curling wand and turning the straight locks into bouncy waves.

They were done in a record time of ten minutes.

"You're all good to go!" Claire tossed the girl her other stuff, meaning her elbow and knee pads and her tapes. Catching it, Alexa slipped the pads on before throwing on her thigh-highs and boots over the knee-pads. The heels on the boots gave her a few inches to her height, which was a good thing considering how short she was. Quickly, she wrapped the white tapes around her hands, wiggling her fingers around experimentally to make sure they could still move. Giving Claire a quick hug and a promise to talk after the match, she jetted off towards the main room.

She made it into the room moments before Paul and Stephanie entered, and with a sigh of relief she slid along the wall to where Cody and Dustin were standing. She felt a pang of guilt run through her; she hadn't seen two of her closest friends in a couple months. She had literally been ripped away from the world after everything that had went down at SummerSlam. Cody turned slightly and had seen her first, eyes widening in surprise. She made her way over to him, but before she could say anything, he had her up in a hug and was spinning her around.

"Lex!" He cried out in total elation. He had caught the attention of half of the room, all turning to see what the shout was about. "You're back on the roster!"

She giggled, returning the gesture just as tightly, not minding the fact she was having trouble breathing. "Hey, Coco. Missed ya!"

"Share the damn girl, you dork; you're not the only one who hasn't seen her pretty face in weeks," Dustin chided, grinning and pulling the girl into his own arms without even letting her feet touch the floor. Most of the occupants of the room simply shook their head before returning to their own conversations, understanding the trio needed a moment to themselves. It was no secret backstage how close they were, and always had been. "We missed you too, kiddo. You fell off the face of the planet."

He set her down on the floor in front of them, both brothers turning to her with a raised eyebrow and stern faces. Instantly she knew she was going to get an earful when they were alone. Or, maybe, even now. Before they could start on her case, though, she felt an arm snake around her shoulders tightly, and by the familiar tattoos covering the tanned skin she knew who it was.

"Randy!" She cheered, giving him a tight hug. He chuckled and wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. Clinging to him, she regarded the three men that she grew up with, knowing Randy had slid over in hopes for answers from her as well. _They _had kept it under the wraps; well, as much as they could, at least.

"Eh, well," she scratched the back of her head sheepishly. They stood close enough so that she could drop her voice down to a near-whisper, which was a good thing; she didn't want any wandering ears to catch wind of their conversation. "I really am sorry for what happened, guys...do you mind coming over to my hotel room tonight so I can tell you?"

They all nodded, and she made a mental note of inviting Phil over too. But then Paul's voice was cutting over all the idle chitchat currently filling the room.

"Alright, you know what's going down tonight," Paul's voice boomed, filled with authority. Even during his days as the infamous Game, Paul had always had an air of power to him, but now as COO it was amplified. "Ambrose, Cena and Alexa win the match, and Orton and Alexa exchange words before that. Cena and Alexa come out as the last two champs because they won their belts last night, Alexa being the last."

"Let the Queen deliver her sass," Cody teased his best friend, laughing when she slapped his arm. Her eyes drifted around the room as Paul kept handing out specific directions, settling on where the three members of The Shield took, conversing. Dean, however, had pulled away to eye Paul and in turn had caught Alexa's eye. They stared at each other for a moment, before he smirked sensuously in her direction and turned away, leaving her flustered.

"Alright, and finally, there's the setup for the next face turn," Paul's voice had her attention again. "One of you boys needs to somehow push Alexa off the apron so Ambrose can catch her."

"What?" Cena spoke up, the little tidbit of information catching him off guard. "Why?"

His interruption earned him multiple glares, a stab of anger piercing through Alexa. Paul was one of those glaring. "None of your business, Cena. Both of them know why, I know why, Steph knows why and that's all that matters."

"I'll push her," Randy cut in, eyeing Cena heatedly. "I'll make sure I don't hurt her, though."

Paul nodded in satisfaction, knowing Randy and Alexa were basically brother-sister and Randy would never intentionally hurt the girl. "Right, that'll work. It'll make sense because of the banter between you two before the match would've started. Let's get this show on the road, shall we?"

His words were met with a roar of approval. Slowly, the room emptied out as various superstars left the room. Randy left first, soon followed by Cody and Dustin, who were the reigning tag team champions and had retained last night at Hell in a Cell. Alexa was handed her belt by a stagehand and had it put up around her waist, where it belonged. The shiny plaque with her name on the front of the belt brought a pleased smile to her lips; she went through hell and high waters to have this thing back and back around her waist, after all. By the time that was done with, she looked up to find Jon and...well*, Cena the only other two in the room. She moved closer to the curtains knowing there were probably mere minutes before she'd have to go out, ending up between the two men.

Jon glanced down at the woman at his side, bringing up and arm and loosely wrapping it around her waist. "It's showtime, princess," he murmured into her ear, smirking when she subconsciously pressed herself into his side. The smirk transitioned into a grin when she shivered, the vibrations sending chills down his own back. He pressed his lips against the hollow behind her ear softly, a whisper of a touch, but even then she let out a gasp and her back arched softly, head falling against his shoulder. Smiling, he replaced his lips with his nose, nuzzling the spot dare he say...tenderly? What the fuck was this woman _doing _to him?

"Hey man," Cena's angry voice interrupted their moment. Both of them blinked, heads turning to find the third man basically glaring at them. Jon, in particular. Alexa went stiff, an action that didn't go unnoticed by both men. While Jon cast his eyes back towards the younger woman, Cena disregarded the action meaningfully. "Keep your hands to yourself, alright? She doesn't like to be touched."

Biting back a snarl, she took an angry step in his direction. The only thing anchoring her to the floor and preventing her from punching the asshole in the face was Jon's grip, which had tightened comfortably when she had moved. "Oh really? And who the fuck are _you_ to speak up for me, Cena?"

Hurt flashed through his eyes. He had been watching the duo for a moment before speaking up, and had seen the way her eyes had lit up when Ambrose touched her. Watched the way she responded to his light touches. That was the way they used to light up, the way she used to move, when _he_ had touched her, and the thoughts brought about a bitter tinge to his attitude. "Look, Lex, I know we left off on bad terms, but I still care about you."

She laughed, the sound incredulous and somewhat hysterical. Emotions ran through her, each severe albeit negative. Among them were anger and hatred, a brewing, bitter hatred. "_Seriously_, Cena? I'm done talking to you. Take your feelings and shove them up your ass."

Desperately, he made a grab for her arm, gripping it and tugging none too gently. Alexa let out a hiss as she was nearly ripped from Jon's grip, but the man tightened his grip and shoved Cena away from her roughly. Upon reflex, Alexa's arms came to wrap themselves around Jon's neck and she clung to him, breathing heavily and trying to get a grip on his emotions. Jon held her close, glaring angrily at Cena whilst wondering what had gone on between the duo.

"When a woman tells you to leave her alone, you fucking back off," he growled angrily. He didn't miss the slight tremor that had taken over Alexa's body. "And you'll back off of Alexa if you know what's good for you, Cena."

"Oh? You two aren't dating, so mind your own goddamn business, Ambrose," Cena retorted, a twinge of jealousy running through him seeing Alexa cling to the dirty blonde so tightly. Her face was pressed against the place where Jon's shoulder met his neck, and his arm was still wrapped all the way around her petite waist, anchoring her to him. There was clearly something between the leader of the Shield and the Canadian, and it didn't sit well with the champ.

"And if we were?" Jon smirked, but before he continue his taunting, Phil Brooks walked up behind them, purpose clear on his face.

And he was glaring at Cena.

"Back the fuck off," Phil snarled, placing a hand on his friend's shoulder. Somewhere in the background, a stagehand's timid voice reminded Jon that he had to go. Entrusting the brunette to Phil while sharing a look with the man the WWE Universe knew as CM Punk, he reluctantly left. Phil kept a hand on Alexa's shoulder, but she stood by his side glaring at Cena rather than shrivelling up.

"If you know what's good for you," she began quietly. "You'll stay the hell away from me, Cena. Besides, I don't think Nikki will appreciate you digging around your ex-girlfriend's business so much, would she?"

Cena's music started playing before he could reply, and soon Alexa was left alone with Phil.

"Hey, kiddo," Phil smiling lightly down at the girl and hugged her close. Much like Cody, Dustin and Randy, he hadn't seen the girl in a while. However, he had a vague idea of what had happened to her.

"Hey, Philly," she sighed, returning the gesture. She was grateful concerning the fact her friend knew better than to ask if she was okay, because she'd probably snap and break someone's face. "Come to my place with the others tonight?"

He nodded, already knowing she was spilling the proverbial beans to them tonight. "Right. You should get going though, your music's gonna start playing soon."

Just like that, she had to put on a brave face and face the world, _their _world, again. Smiling lightly at her friend and hearing the opening notes to her theme song, she stepped through the curtains and into the blaring lights of the stage. The crowd, who had been previously milling with excitement from Cena's entrance before her, completely erupted as she pounced and landed on one knee, pointing a finger into the air and shouting "I'm back, baby!"

Sparklers danced around her, and for a moment, she revelled in the sparking colours, before getting back onto her feet and making her way towards the ring. All around her, the crowd was still chanting her name, and she smiled up at the bleachers. Reaching the ring, she jumped and grabbed the top rope, swinging her way over it and landing on her feet. She enjoyed the way the wind made her top flare and dance around her as she landed on the canvas, the off-white colour doing much to calm her frazzled nerves. Following the script, she took a minute to scan the faces of the others in the ring. Randy, with the belt he had 'won' last night; with, of course, the help of uncle Shawn. Cody and Dustin were off to the side, their matching tag-team belts hanging low on their hips. Curtis Axel, who's name was Joseph "Joe" Hennig, stood off, isolated, with the intercontinental belt around his waist. Cena was there, with the world title, and Jon was standing beside Randy with the US title. Joe and Colby were outside the ring, prowling. And then there was her, the Diva's champ.

"And now we're all gathered!" Paul's voice rang through the stadium as her theme song's beat faded away. "All of our champions, together in a ring. What a way to start a show, eh?"

The crowd answered the call with a variety of jeers and approval. Alexa moved over to stand beside Cody.

"But..._but_...let's make it better!" Paul continued. "Why not make a match...with all these superstars? And, of course, our _returning_ diva's champ."

The crowd popped at the mention of her, and she couldn't suppress the smile. She had came back last night to win the title in a Triple Threat match between Brie Bella and AJ Lee. In four, short years, she had already held the belt eight times, including last night.

"Wait, wait, _wait_," Randy spoke up, hand coming up in the air. Immediately, the roars of happiness transitioned into boo's, and he glared mockingly at the crowd before turning his attention over to Alexa, who rose an eyebrow in response to his jeering smile and soft chuckle. It was time for the scripted banter, something she always had fun with. After all, she was known for her wits. "This isn't the place for a..._woman_ like Alexa."

She took the microphone from the stagehand that had slid it onto the canvas, tossing her hair back over her shoulder and smirking at Randy. "Nah, Randall, I think you're mistaken. This isn't the place for, ah..._phony_ champions. So that rules you out of the fight, doesn't it?"

"_I_ defeated Bryan last night!" Randy roared, moving closer to Alexa with fake fury. Cody and Dustin edged closer to her upon instinct, but she simply opted to crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow at the man. "I deserved to be here!"

She snorted, smiling innocently up at him. She shifted her weight onto her left leg, glancing mockingly up at the man. "Oh really? From what I saw, Bryan was out like a light after _Shawn Michaels_ very nearly took off his head. You won because of HBK, Orton. Not yourself."

Randy got up in her face, and up close she could see the amusement in his eyes. "You know what? We'll see what you're saying after _I kick your ass_!"

Rolling her eyes and turning partially away from him, she brought her hand up and made it look like she was giving Randy the bitch slap of the century, one that sent him stumbling to the floor. The whole crowd cheered in favour of Randy's pain. Crouching beside Randy's fallen body, she laughed into the mic and grinned at the man victoriously. "Yeah, Orton. We'll see who kicks who's ass, hmm?"

"Alright you two!" Paul demanded angrily, but Alexa could tell he was trying hard not to crack up. "Break it-"

He stopped talking when an all too familiar theme song started playing.

People Power.

* * *

**A/N: Whew! I hope you enjoyed this, aha. I made some major changes/tweaks to the plot, so I had to backtrack and change up this chapter! We're jumping right into some of the major plots of the story (well, to be fair, two with foreshadowing for another, but...). I have HUGE plans for this fic!**

***: I'll be calling John 'Cena' just to avoid confusion. Also because a lot of people don't like him in this fic :D **

**I wonder if you caught on to what went down between Alex/Cena, hurr? Brownie points to whoever figures out who's theme song that is! Well, until next time!**


	3. Author's Note

Hi all! Just wanted you all to know that chapter two's ending was re-written and re-posted! So if you want to avoid being confused when I update next week, I suggest going back and re-reading it (it counts as a mini chapter, I guess, because I tacked on an extra 2,000 words). When I actually post chapter 3, I'll delete this note, but sorry for all the confusion!


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